Birkebeinerrennet, the eleventh stage in the Ski Classics Pro Tour, and the fourth and final Grand Classics event, Season XVI, took place today in Norway. With superior performances, Andreas Nygaard and Stina Nilsson, both from Team Ragde Charge, won the 54km long-distance race from Rena to Lillehammer.
With a cloudy day and temperatures below zero at Birkebeinerrennet, the men started at 7:45 CET and the women at 8:00 CET. The action started early, and there was a thrilling race among both the men and women.
BIRKEBEINERRENNET – MEN
Known for its hilly profile, Birkebeinerrennet on the men’s side started fast from the gun, with a 20km climb to the first checkpoint.
With about 48km to go, thirteen strong athletes at the front created a dangerous gap, leaving the main group chasing behind.
At Skramstad, 8.6km into the race, thirteen skiers passed within 8.3 seconds, with Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, at the front. The first chasing groups crossed the checkpoint 24.7 seconds back, with Jeremy Royer, Team Eksjöhus, leading the chase and a few of the favorites in the second group.
At Raudfjellet, the first Climb checkpoint of the day and an Iconic Climb at the 19.7km mark, thirteen skiers crossed in the first group. Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon, got maximum points, followed by Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, and Runar Skaug Mathisen, Lager 157 Ski Team.
The first chasers crossed the checkpoint 1:46.4 back, and the next group 2:24.8 behind the leaders.
The second challenging uphill started 28km into the race, culminating at Midtfjellet, the second and last Climb checkpoint of the day, 34.3km into the race. Ole Jørgen Bruvoll, Team Engcon, crossed first, getting maximum points, followed by Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, in second, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, in third.
With 40km into the race and 14km to go, the leading group of four skiers – Johan Hoel, Bruvoll, Jutterström, and Nygaard – reached Sjusjøen and started their descent to Lillehammer with a 400-meter drop in elevation. The chasing group containing Novak, Amund Hoel, Sverdrup Augdal, and Ødegaarden was still in contention, only 10 seconds behind the leaders.
The pace started to pick up in the fast sections after Sjusjøen, with the chasers closing the gap and the skiers preparing for the final part of the race.
With less than 8km to go, Ole Jørgen Bruvoll was on the offensive, attacking the field and getting a small gap, but was soon brought back by the leading group.
Ultimately, the battle for the win was decided on the straight finish, with Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, winning Birkebeinerrennet in his usual powerful sprint. It was his fifth Birken victory and fourth in a row.
After a tight fight to the line, Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, took second place 0.2 seconds back. Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, was granted third place on the podium, 0.5 seconds behind the winner.
Birkebeinerrennet – Top 5 Men
- Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, 2:20:15.2
- Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, +0.2
- Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, +0.5
- Eirik Sverdrup Augdal, Team Eksjöhus, +0.7
- Axel Jutterström, Team Eksjöhus, +1.4
Birkebeinerrennet results can be found HERE
BIRKEBEINERRENNET – WOMEN
In the women’s race, which started at 8:00 CET, the speed was high from the start, with about 14 skiers at the front, setting the pace and splitting the field right away.
Soon, a small group of seven athletes was formed, containing some of the favorites for the day: Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, Silje Øyre Slind, Team Aker Dæhlie, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, Karolina Hedenström, Lager 157 Ski Team, Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, and Team Engcon’s duo Anikken Gjerde Alnæs and Hanna Lodin.
At Skramstad, 8.6km into the race, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs crossed first, followed by Emilie Fleten and Hanna Lodin, with the front group still compact and the first seven skiers crossing the checkpoint within 3.6 seconds.
With about 38km to go, five skiers – Fleten, Nilsson, Lindström, Gjerde Alnæes, and Lodin – were working well at the front heading to Raudfjellet, with the first chasers – Øyre Slind and Hedenström – 16 seconds behind.
At Raudfjellet, the first Climb checkpoint of the day and an Iconic Climb, 19.7km into the race, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, crossed first, getting maximum points, followed by Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden.
Just before Midtfjellet, Fleten and Nilsson increased their pace and got a gap. At Midtfjellet, the second Climb of the day, 34.3km into the race, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, crossed first, followed by Emilie Fleten in second, 1.0 seconds back, and Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, in third, 10.5 seconds behind.
With about 10km to go on the descent to the finish line, Stina Nilsson got a gap over Fleten and never looked back. With 3.6km to go, Stina increased the gap to 23 seconds, and that lead proved to be enough for the finish.
In the end, Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, timed her breakaway perfectly to win this year’s Birkebeinerrennet with a total time of 2:44:48.1.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, took second place, 36.1 seconds behind. Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, completed the podium in third place, 39.5 seconds behind the winner.
Birkebeinerrennet – Top 5 Women
- Stina Nilsson, Team Ragde Charge, 2:44:48.1
- Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, +36.1
- Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, +39.5
- Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, +3:24.6
- Jenny Larsson, Lager 157 Ski Team, +4:18.4
Birkebeinerrennet results can be found HERE
SKI CLASSICS COMPETITIONS – CURRENT STANDINGS
After Birkebeinerrennet, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Amund Hoel, Team Engcon, lead the Champion Bib Competition.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs, Team Engcon, and Vebjørn Moen, Team Eksjöhus, are carrying the Green bib of the Sprint Competition.
Emilie Fleten, Team Ramudden, and Johan Hoel, Team Ragde Charge, carry the bib for the Climb Competition.
The Pink Bib for the best Youth rests on Louise Lindström, Team Eksjöhus, and Jeremy Royer, Team Eksjöhus.
Team Eksjöhus is the best-ranked Pro Team after Birkebeinerrennet Season XVI.
Next up is Marcialonga Bodø on Saturday, March 22. The 50km event marks the 12th Ski Classics Pro Tour stage of Season XVI.
Season XVI of the Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 14 events across 10 event weekends in 6 countries. It started in Bad Gastein, Austria, on December 13, 2024, with the Pro Team Presentation and ends in Finnsnes, Norway, with the Ski Classics Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja on March 30, 2025.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVI (2024/2025)
- Event 0: Friday, December 13, 2024 –Ski Classics Pro Team Presentation XVI – Bad Gastein, Austria
- Event 1: Saturday, December 14, 2024 – Bad Gastein ITT – Sportgastein, Austria, 7km
- Event 2: Sunday, December 15, 2024 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Sportgastein, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: Saturday, January 11, 2025 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon – Sexten, Italy, 60km
- Event 4: Sunday, January 12, 2025 – La Venosta ITT Kapron-Melago – Val Venosta, Italy, 11km
- Event 5: Saturday, January 18, 2025 – Engadin La Diagonela – Pontresina-Zuoz, Switzerland, 43km
- Event 6: Sunday, January 26, 2025 – Marcialonga – Trentino, Italy, 70km
- Event 7: Sunday, February 9, 2025 – Jizerská50 – Bedřichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 8: Saturday, February 15, 2025 – Grönklitt Criterium 61 – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 61km
- Event 9: Sunday, February 16, 2025 – Grönklitt ITT – Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 13km
- Event 10: Sunday, March 2, 2025 – Vasaloppet – Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 11: Saturday, March 15, 2025 – Birkebeinerrennet – Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 12: Saturday, March 22, 2025 – Marcialonga Bodø – Bodø, Norway, 50km
- Event 13: Saturday, March 29, 2025 – Reistadløpet – Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 46km
- Event 14: Sunday, March 30, 2025 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Bardufoss-Finnsnes, Norway, 60km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com
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Photos: Reichert/NordicFocus
